Hey guys I am traveling to MN this year in mid Oct.(near Alexandria) I was wondering when you guys start experiencing the pre rut and the rut. Will I be wasting my time with doe in heat scents etc. in mid Oct? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Do any of you guys hunt near there?

It can't hurt to try scents, but the rut will really begin around the 30th. I used to live north of Alex, and my buddy lives there now. I would say best bet would be to find a rub line, or scrape line, as those will be used. Make a scent trail with a drag rag, I have had some success in Mid Oct. Also some rattling might work.

thanks handles........I remember we were both on the same team last year together. You had any good luck lately???

No luck. I just had my second baby boy, so I knew in advance that this year would be tough to get in the woods. I was lucky enough to get access to 40 ac that is close enough to work I can seek out a few mornings, but that will be about it this year. It does look like good property, and no one has hunted it in about 10 years. It is surrounded on two sides by state park (no hunting) so there should be some good deer around, but they have thousands of acres to roam free, I don't know if this 40 is going to be productive. I might head up to MN (Bemidji) to hunt during rifle season with my brother in law and his family but even that will be a long shot. Good luck at Alexandria. How did you get hooked up there?

I'd say it's definately worthe it. The last year or two I've started to come to the opinion that it can be just as productive during the phase just before the rut. During this time they're still a little predictable and if you can find a scrape line they'll still be on it reliably whereas during the peak of the rut they can end up just running around the woods a bit more helter skelter. Trail cams have shown some fairly consisten action on the scrape spots until the peak and then if they do hit these scrapes it's VERY unpredictable as to when. Definately will be hitting that time period much harder this year.

thanks for the replies guys.........I cant wait to get up your way!!! I am hopeing to have some good luck up there.

I live 45 miles north of Alex yes the pre rut has stated already, the rubs the scrapes the swollen necks seen 2 sparing and heard several grunts! Halloween is always my favorite weekend to hunt. I feel as if the majority of our does are breed the week after! Where are ya hunting at? I know this area very well

I live in Alexandria, how long will you be in the area for?

From my experience hunting in Minnesota, you would be wasting your money using doe in estrus in October. The rut will just be getting under way the last week October and will be at its peak in the first two weeks of November. I would recommend using a grunt call with rattling horns and a buck decoy if you have one. The bucks will be starting to start patrolling the fields for does and will be getting protective of their territory.